Open Thread Update: Readers Share their Scams

Last time, I shared a close shave with a scary-smart scammer who commandeered the phone number of a legitimate tech support service. That narrow escape is detailed in the original column – but readers chimed in with even scarier close shaves and narrow escapes!

Hacked Emails

Reader Deirdre came close to losing $400 in a new wrinkle in an Amazon gift card scam from an “old friend…”

…asking for a favor. He wanted to purchase a $400 Amazon gift card for an ill friend but the bank could not process his card-could I do it, place my name on from line and write Congratulations.

Dierdre adds “Recognized it for a scam as my cousin had 6 months ago received a similar request and was scammed out of a large amount of money. Contacted my friend separately via phone and his contacts list had been hacked!”

Misleading Links

Reader Robert had a scary encounter with a scammer masquerading on a legitimate news site…

About 2 weeks ago I clicked on a “news item” on MSN page. The headline was something like, “State Department Warns Against Travelling to the Santorinis.” When I clicked on it, my computer was frozen and the screen had warning boxes telling me that it had been seized by a “Trojan” bug! I tried several times to close that window, to no avail. A telephone number for “support” was shown in several locations. I didn’t call it (thank you, AARP!) Unplugged computer and it was gone when I rebooted.

Unplugging the computer seems to do the trick, adds Reader Dan – and the scammers know it!

Bank Scares

Scams involving bank accounts are the scariest. Just ask Reader Sandy….

Yes.. in the last couple of weeks. I made a retail purchase off of the Temu retail site (had previously ordered a handful of times with no problem). This time, the day after my order, someone called my bank & tried to present themself as me, but could not authenticate it was me. The bank flagged the communication. The scammer then attempted to connect my debit card to GooglePay & succeeded, but I cancelled the card before they could access our funds!

Sharp eyed Readers Judy and Elizabeth both handled some scary bank hijinks successfully, so make sure you read the comments…and if you also had a narrow escape from a scam, share your experience in the comments!

Original Column

A really smart online scam took me to the brink of disaster.   

A web hosting company manages my own domain with my own email address (no offense to Outlook, but I just want email, not a million opportunities to do other stuff).

Recently, for the first time, my email webhost suddenly and inexplicably went out of service. This was serious: I use it for personal and professional reasons.  After trying a few things and failing, I decided to use my subscription membership to a popular tech support company aligned with a big electronics company.  They go online, take over my computer and fix whatever; I’ve used them for years.

This company’s service has always been satisfactory but I didn’t need to use it for some time.  I opened up my datebook and called the number I had written down.

And something seemed….odd. In times past, the person at the number I would call would direct me to a specific website that was hosted by the electronics retailer.  The connections were always clear and the operators were crisp.

But Then…

But this time, the same number was answered by a heavily accented tech support person with a terrible phone connection, who said she was tech support and directed me to a different website.

Oh well, I thought, maybe the company moved to a third party for tech support – it happens.  But when I entered the new website in Google, the searches it brought up seemed odd….especially because the search also brought up the retail company’s real tech support arm.

And it wasn’t the one the agent was urging me to ‘just sign on so we can solve your problem.”

I hung up and closed the screen, and for a second I broke into a cold sweat.

THE LESSON

I thought I knew about scams but this one was really devious.  Bad actors took over a discarded phone number associated with a legitimate tech support company and masqueraded as the company’s tech support.

I had come thisclose to allowing them to take over my laptop.

To confirm my suspicions, I called the general number for the retailer. The technician told me they used to have that number, but now have a new one. She directed me to the familiar URL and website and a technician with a clear, crisp connection took over my computer and updated it.

While I had them on the phone, I updated all the numbers associated with that company. (And yes, they changed all of them.)

You’d think they’d notify their subscribers of the phone number change!

Thank goodness I was halfway skeptical and saved myself some real trouble – but it was a close shave.  I thought I was savvy to scams, but this one almost got me and in the most disastrous way possible.

YOUR TURN

Did you have a close shave with a scammer? What happened? Share your story – and your warnings – in the comments!

And if you want a deep dive into online frauds, check out this online class on June 27! 

 

For tips and resources about online safety and scam prevention, visit Senior Planet’s new page at seniorplanet.org/scam-prevention. If you or a loved one has been targeted by a scam or fraud, call the AARP Fraud Watch Network™ Helpline at 877-908-3360.

 

Virge Randall is Senior Planet’s Managing Editor. She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers and blogs about New York City life. Send your “Open Thread” suggestions to editor@seniorplanet.org.